It’s a Sunday again and here’s my Sunday article in Sun.Star Davao that tells the story of farmer and forest guide Rene “Tatay Ete” Vendiola, who used to practice slash-and-burn farming but became known as a forest protector and restorer.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/weekend-davao/wisdom-trees-poetry-nature

The photos are not mine. The ones in the newspaper where Tatay Ete is shown with his trophy is by Alex Badayos of Sun.Star Cebu, while the Tatay Ete’s portrait is from the booklet on the 5th RAFI Triennial Awards, which the organizer said we can use for our articles.

It was the first time I met Tatay Ete in the press conference organized by RAFI for the finalists in the morning before the awards night last Thursday. But listening to him tell his story is like listening to a free verse. Tatay Ete apparently is not only gifted with a green thumb but a lyrical vocabulary.